New Beginnings
by alwayssmilingsam
Summary: Nikola and Helen finally talk after 'that' kiss.


**This is for my girls - who know who they are and constantly make me smile but especially Chartrusien who had something crappy happen today that she didn't deserve.**

**As usual only the mistakes are mine.**

"You kissed me."

"Yes I know." She knew this conversation had been coming but for the last two weeks but they had both been far too busy settling into their new home to have it. Tonight, for the first time, they had sat down together for a 'family' meal and they had then all then moved to the communal lounge area. Slowly one by one the others had drifted off to bed and left Helen and Nikola alone listening to Burt Bacharach and sharing a bottle of wine.

"Why?"

"Not sure really." She looked at him coyly. "Seemed like a good idea at the time?" She asked rhetorically.

"So it meant nothing?" He questioned, not really sure if he wanted her answer. "I mean nothing?" He asked quietly.

"Nikola?" Helen asked surprised that he was wanted to have this conversation and knowing she was totally unprepared for it.

"It's been over a hundred years Helen, it haven't exactly hidden my feelings for you, I guess I just want to…..need to know….well ….how you feel about me because a man, even one like me, can only take the mixed messages and rejection for so long."

"I never meant….Nikola, I'm sorry. I never mean for you to feel like that. Sometimes…..I just never know when you are being serious."

"So the kiss was?" He questioned.

"I don't know!" Helen got up and began to pace around the room.

Nikola took in her agitated state and knew he shouldn't be pushing her but he wanted answers. He stood and gently grabbed her by the upper arms to stop her pacing. She took in those deliciously long fingers wrapped around her arms and then looked at him.

Nikola stared into he eyes and saw the vulnerability there. Without overthinking what he was doing he leaned forward and gently kissed her.

When they came up for air she said surprised, "you kissed me."

Nikola grinned. "I believe I did."

"Why?"

"Ah, well therein lies the difference between us, you apparently have no idea why you kissed me, I however, know exactly why I kissed you."

"Well then stop talking about it and tell me!"

"Why Helen? Is all this talk of kissing making you uncomfortable?"

"No! Not at all." She said in a way that made it perfectly clear that she was.

"Then that schoolgirl blush would be because….?"

"The heat obviously. It's rather warm in here." She lied unconvincingly.

Nikola leaned forward and whispered seductively in her ear. "I would say it is hot."

Helen pulled away. "See! This is what you do! It's almost like a default position for you. How am I supposed to know how you really feel when you cloud everything in suggestive innuendo and not very subtle innuendo at that!"

Nikola sighed in frustration. "How is it you are so brilliant at reading people and so utterly appalling at reading me!"

Helen stood dumbfounded at his outburst.

"I have told you countless times, with as much sincerity as I have, that I love you and yet you rebuff me at every opportunity! The innuendo is a defence mechanism, if I'm not serious then I can't take your constant rejection seriously!" Nikola walk over and refilled his wine glass and took a large drink.

It was some time before Helen spoke and when she did it was so quiet if it hadn't been for his vampiric hearing he may have missed it completely.

"I kissed you because I thought I might die and I needed to say goodbye to you properly."

"So what now?" He waved his hand up and down indicating her body. "You are clearly very much alive so we just move on and forget about it?"

"Well that had been my plan." She smiled at him half-heartedly. "But then you kissed me."

"So?"

"So…..it wasn't a goodbye kiss."

"No, definitely not that."

"So what type of kiss was it then?"

"Ah well that is the question isn't it?" He said cryptically.

"Nikola!"

"I like to think of it as a new beginnings kiss."

"New beginnings?"

"Well you quite literally sent your old life up in flames and my departure from SCUI was less than…..amicable. Technically you no longer exist and I am a wanted man and here we are sequestered in this incredible place you have built – like I said new beginnings."

"Oh." She said sounding a little disappointed.

"Of course my personal preference is for a new beginning for us too. We have done the friends thing and the enemy thing and well it doesn't leave a lot of other options for us."

"We could remain friends." She sad quietly.

"Well yes we could." He stated simply. "But that would be like bringing part of the old us here and this is a new beginning remember?"

"So your plan is for us to be what? Lovers?"

Nikola moved closer to her and stoked her arm lightly. "Oh I admit that us being lovers is very appealing…very appealing. But I was thinking of something that has more permanence to it."

Helen's head shot up not understanding what he meant.

"Ah I see my traditionalism has shocked you, why Helen I am impressed, I didn't think after all these years I would still be able to do that." Nikola grinned at her.

"Let me get this straight – you want us to get married?"

"No!"

"Then what the hell have you been going on about?"

"I want to pledge my life to you and you to me – do we really need a ceremony and a piece of paper to make that promise to each other?"

Helen thought over his words and listened to the sincerity behind them. Without a doubt she loved the annoying vampire and without a doubt she wanted him in her life for the rest of their considerable days. She stepped closer and leaned in so she could whisper in his ear. "I Helen Patricia Magnus promise to love you for all eternity, promise to make you happy and promise to thwart every attempt you make at taking over the world."

Nikola grinned at her. "And I Nikola Tesla, promise to keep you on your toes."

Helen laughed. "Of that I have no doubt."

Nikola leaned in a nibbled on her earlobe making her go weak at the knees. "So now that we are properly…..bonded." He grinned at her. "Let's revisit that part about becoming lovers."

Helen moved into his embrace. "I'll give you this, life with you will never be boring."

Nikola grasped her hand and began walking to the door wanting to get to her….their room as soon as possible, "Oh that I can guarantee." He laughed.

Fini


End file.
